“That doesn’t even include college, so it kinda makes me really wonder, um, ‘that’s a lot of money,’” Tamara said, her voice shaking.

Housing is the largest expense for families, but child care and education costs have increased the most over the past few decades, now totaling 18 percent.

Overall, food prices are cheaper for most parents, but it’s still the second largest expense for low-income families.

“Food costs as a percentage of household costs are a much more considerable portion of raising a child in lower income households,” said Kevin Concannon, under secretary at the Department of Agriculture.

The Fagiellos are grateful for what they have, but their wait for child care assistance could take months, or even years.

A former version of this article inaccurately stated “low-income families” struggle with the rising cost of children. That has been corrected to “middle-income” families.